Trick to get Bike on Center Stand

[trevor]

I couldn't do it without shoes on.
I went into the garage one night to put the bike up on the centerstand but only had socks on. I lift the bike correctly and have never had a problem. Without shoes on I started to lift and it hurt the bottom of my foot pretty good, right in the arch.
I didn't realize how much pressure you put on your foot. It's not just on your right arm.
If you can do it barefoot, you got some tough feet!

I said I can do it in bare feet, I didn't say it was a good idea. Funny that's how I found out I could do it, one night I went out to the garage in bare feet and noticed my bike was on the side stand so I gave it a shot. It did not feel great but not bad really.

[earlfor]

From the factory manual for 82: Dry weight 540 pounds, so I was off, but 558 is for what model? The one I have access to is for a G model, L's heavier?

Water weighs 8 pounds a gallon so since oil and gas both float, so 6.5 per gallon isn't likely too far off, making 574.8, and 6 pound for oil? 580.8.
close, but not 600, unless the L is heavier.
(Is boingk's an L?)

Gas weighs 6 lbs per gallon and oil weighs 7.5 lbs per gallon (1.875 lbs per qt.)

[KEITH KRAUSE]

Steve gave a great discription on how to do this in the first page here. It really is easy, I can put my 530lbs bike on the centre stand in my bare feet!

I couldn't do it without shoes on.
I went into the garage one night to put the bike up on the centerstand but only had socks on. I lift the bike correctly and have never had a problem. Without shoes on I started to lift and it hurt the bottom of my foot pretty good, right in the arch.
I didn't realize how much pressure you put on your foot. It's not just on your right arm.
If you can do it barefoot, you got some tough feet!

[snark]

This thread shows what is probably the easiest way. No wood needed. This method has yet to fail. Thank Earlfor for the lesson.

http://www.thegsresources.com/_forum/showthread.php?t=83935&highlight=centerstand

Indeed, I should have given credit to Steve as well as his explanation was excellent.

[trevor]

Steve gave a great discription on how to do this in the first page here. It really is easy, I can put my 530lbs bike on the centre stand in my bare feet!

I realize that this thread is quite old, but I'm so glad that I discovered it. I'm 6'4" and 240Lbs or so and trying to get my GS650GL onto the center stand made me feel like an inept weakling every time. Formerly, my technique involved standing to the left of the bike while facing forward, grabbing both hand grips, and yanking backwards while keeping my right foot on the center stand. After nearly running myself over and/or nearly dropping the bike multiple times, I'd finally get it on the stand... frustrated and exhausted. I could never imagine doing that in public, nor could I figure out how guys who are presumably half my size managed to get their bikes up there.

I watched those Youtube videos, ran out to the garage, and I'll be darned... easy as pie for me now.

I love this site.

[Dogma]

good trick works for me but when bike is on the stand for some reason both of the wheels are on the ground and i dont think its suppose to be that way. my forks are a bit bent would that be it?

The forks would have to be a lot more than a bit bent. Possibly a PO had the bike lowered, and the center stand shortened to match. A later PO un-lowered it, but kept the center stand. Or maybe a PO put longer shocks on the rear to quicken the steering a bit. The rear wheel should be an inch or two off the ground when on the center stand.

good trick works for me but when bike is on the stand for some reason both of the wheels are on the ground and i dont think its suppose to be that way. my forks are a bit bent would that be it?

[wacky941]

try a gs750 lowered 4inches or so with struts. takes 2 strong people and a lot of cursing. Gonna take it off anyway.

Amen to that! I made the same mistake with my 1100EZ but like an idiot I loved the way it looked and kept on doing it, now I'm older and wiser.

Another problem with lowering the suspension is you need to shorten the side stand for it to lean properly but when you put it back to factory height then the side stand is too short. Dilema!

try a gs750 lowered 4inches or so with struts. takes 2 strong people and a lot of cursing. Gonna take it off anyway.

[Sparky]

Now if i can get a 78 goldwing 1000 with a half flat back tire up on the stand then surely the GS's should be no problem.

I find it easier to point the toe of my right foot towards the rear tire and push down on the stand and just stabilize the bike with my hands, no need to pull on the bike itself really. But I guess everybody has there own method.

[mcycle-nut]

I just about always park my motorcycles on their centrestands, so putting an 1100 on the stand is a non-issue. I was talking to a little waif of a girl who was afraid of putting her "new" Honda 919 on the centrestand. I proceeded to give her a lesson, explaining how to hold the bike, make sure the both feet of the stand touch down at the same time, and just step on the stand and the bike will come up naturally. WELL, when I did that, something in the back of my calf went SNAP, and I had to put the bike on the sidestand! I could barely walk for 3 days! I couldn't believe it! Oh well, must have been Karma biting me in the ass for the fact that I got only a verbal warning for doing a wheelie RIGHT IN FRONT of a cop only a few weeks earlier, but that's another story....

I remember one bike that was a BITCH to put on the centrestand was my wife's '83 XS650. I couldn't believe what muscle I had to put into it. Not well designed at all.

My 79 GS850 had a grab handle on the side under the seat. It was very easy to lift up and rest on the centerstand.

This is a great little trick; I feel like an idiot for all of my prior failed attempts!